Machine for finishing and selvaging wire fabrics.



- No.1a89,a15.

MACHINE FOR FINISHI 0. SGHMID.

APPLIOATION FILED-MAY 24, 1907.

PATENTED JUNE 2, 190s;

NG AND SELVAGING WIRE FABRICS.'-

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A A A voyage-,w

No. 889,815. PATENTED JUNE 2, 1908. v0. SCHMID.

MACHINE FOR ENISHING AND SELVAGING WIRE FABRICS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 24. 1907.

M I l SHEETS-SHEET 2.

-PATENTED JUNE 2, 1908.

. r o. SGHMID. l. .MAGHINE PoR PINISHING AND SELVAGING WIREEABRIGS;

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1907.

s SHEETS-SEEN s.

' N'l. PATENTED JUNE 2, 1908.

- C. SCHMID. MACHINE POR FINISHING AND SELVAGING- WIRE FABRICS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24. 1907.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

PATENTED JUNE 2, 1908.

' C. SCHMID.

AMACHINE POR FINISHING AND SELVAGING WIRE FABRICS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24. 1907.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

OTTO SCHMID, OF FEUERBAOH-STUTTGART, GERMANY.

MACHINE FOR FINISHING AND SELVAGIING WIRE FABRICS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 2,` 1908.

Application led May 24, 1907. Serial No. 375,471.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTTO SCHMID, a citizen of the German. Empire, residing at Feuerbach-Stuttgafli",I in'the Kingdom of Wurtemberg, Empireof Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Finishing and Selvaging Wire Fabrics; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

In some classes of diamond-mesh Wire fabric, it is necessary to finish the edges by twisting or otherwise uniting the projecting ends of the wires, and the principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved mechanism for automatically accomplishing this operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine which may be usedfor simply twisting the ends of the wire, Ior for introducing a binder or selvage wire, and uniting the ends of the fabric wire thereto.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanism for automatically feeding the fabric, step by step, to the twisting devices, and to so construct such mechanism as to permit ready adjustment for operating on wire fabric of different mesh.

A' still further object of the invention is to provide a machine which may be adjusted to accommodate wire fabric of any width and made of wire of any gage.

A still further obj-ect is to provide a novel form of periodically operated take-up for the finished article.

. In theaccompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine fomiinishing and selvaging wire fabrics, constructed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the machine; Fig. 4 is a plan View, partly in section, of one of the wire bending devices and its support; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same, showing'f the operating connections, the view'being partly in section; Fig. 6 is a sectional detail showing one of the twister headsand the wire fabric clamp; Fig. 7 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is an end view of the same, showing the clamp plate in section; Fig. 9 is a view cfa portion of the fabric, showing the ends of the Wire bent over in one of the iinishing operations; Fig. 10 is a plan view of one end of the machine, the clamp plate being removed; Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view of the same; Fig. 12 is a detail transverse section, showing the feeding mechanism; Fig. '13 isa plan view of one of the fabric-feeding'hooks, detached; Fig. 14 is a detail plan v iw of a twister head; Fig. 15 is an end elevation of the same; Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a modiiied construction of twister' head; Fig. 17 is a View of the finished fabric, showing the introduction of a selvage wire into a portion thereof; Fig. 18 is a side elevation, artly in section, of one end of the machine, illustrating a modified construction; Fig. 19 is an end elevation of the same; Fig. 20 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Figs. 18 and 19; Fig. 21 is a detail view of a portion of the mechanism for eifectin longitudinal movement of the twister hea Fig. 22 is a side elevation of a further modiiicationof twister head, applicable to the mechanism shown in Fig. 18; Fig. 23 is an end viewvof the same; Fig. `24 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 25 is a view of the finished fabric, as produced by the mechanism shown in Figs. 18 to 24;l Fig.

26 is a detail transverse section of the takeup roll; Fig. 27 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same Fig. 28 is a detail vlew of the friction brake or retarding -dev1ce; Fig. 29 is an elevation of the same; Fig. 30 1s an end elevation of the twisting tool operating mechanism drawn to an enlarged scale; Flg. 31 is a side view of the same; Fig. 32 1s a detail view of a portion of the Winding or takeup mechanism; Fig. 33 is a plan view of the same, showing the carrying bracket 1n section; Fig. 34 is a detail sectional view of the take-up clutching mechanism;vand Figs. 35, 36 and 37, are detail views of aform of twisting tool which may be employed.

The working parts of the machine are supp at the top bya pair of para lel bars 2, slightly spaced from each other. These bars s u port a pair of brackets 3 and 4, of whic the bracket 3 is rigidly secured in position, While the bracket 4 is adjustable toward and from the bracket 3, in order to permit operation on fabrics of different widths. The brackets carry the two sections of a table 8, over whlch the netting is passed, one of these table sections being carried by and adjustable with the bracket 4, and the opposite edges of the.

table are curved downward, in order to permit the free passage of the netting thereover.

In the lower portion of the frame is journaled a removable s indle 9 on which is wound the netting to e operated upon, the netting passing from thence over a frictional retarding device to the table and from the table to a suitable intermittently operated take-up mechanism. A

Extending from one ,side of the frame are two arms 10, carryin a cross bar 1 1, to which are secured two brac ets or arms 16 (Fi s. 28 and 29), which may be adjusted in the irection of the length of the bar to alter the distance between them, as required by the width of the netting being treated. From each bracket 16 extends a stationary spindle 15, carrying a fixed friction disk 14 of leather or other suitable material and a ainst the disk bears a toothed wheel 12, t at is arranged to en age in the meshes of the netting. The spindle urther carries a helical com ression sprin that bears against the whee and tends to orce the same against the friction disk. The stress of the s ring is under the control of a wing nut on tlie spindle, so that greater or less retarding action may be exerted on the netting. i

In connection with each of the table sections are means for holding the netting durirtlg tle twisting operation, and for eHecting a s e wit the exception that the parts associated with the bracket 4 are adjustable toward and from the bracket 3, the constructions are identical and a descri tion of one of them will suffice for a thorough) understanding of the structures.

To a vertical arm on each bracket is ivoted a plate 46, that is arranged sligfi above and parallel with the table 8, and the edges of this plate are rounded to facilitate the passage of the netting. The late is provided with a slot 46 (Fig. 8) an at a oint below this the table has a slot 8. hese slots serve for the passage of a pair of wedgesha ed centering and locking members 45 an '48, which are arranged tomove u ward through the meshes of the fabric, an hold the same ina central position during the twisting or bending operation.

The wedge 45 is secured to the upper end of a vertically guided bar 47, having at its lower end an anti-friction roller that bears against the periphery of a cam 50 on the main shaft 20 of the machine, the cam serving to raise the-bar, while the return move, ment is accomplished by a helical compression spring 51, that surrounds the 'lower portion' of the bar (Fig. 12). The upper end of the bar 47 carries a laterally directed arm 49, 0n which the wedge member 48 is adjustably step feedlng movement thereof, and

mounted, so that the distance between the wedges may be adjusted for operation on fabric of different size mesh.

The fabric is fed forward step by step, and

to accomplish this operation a reciprocatory hook 58 is employed. Mounted in suitable guides on the bars 2 is a reciprocatory blade 68, from which projects a pin 65, that is engaged by the bifurcated upper end of a lever 62 that is pivoted on a pin 61 on the frame. The lower end of the lever is pressed against a cam 17 on shaft 20, by means of-a spring 66, the cam effecting movement of the lever in one direction, and the return movement being accomplished by means of the spring. The bar is preferably provided with a stop 67 by which excess movement may be prevented.

On the forward end of the bar 68 is arranged a bracket 69, which may be adjusted on the bar to accommodate fabric of different size mesh, and which may be locked in place by a screw 92 (Figs. 12 and.13). The rear end of the bracket carries a pair of ears 60, between which extends a pin 61, and on the pin is pivoted the hook l58. The bracket has a transversely extending series of teeth 60', which may be engaged by similar teeth at the pivoted end of the hook and said hook may be shifted laterally on the pin, and the properteeth interengaged to accommodate fabric of different mesh. The hook is yieldably supported by a spring 59, so that on the back stroke it may yield downward to pass under the wires and enter the .next mesh, and the fabric thus receives a step-by-step forward movement, and at the com letion of each feeding. movement is proper y centered and locked by the wedges.

The crossed wires at the edge of the fabric may be treated in dierent ways, for instance -by bendinback the ends of the wire, as

shown inv ig. 9, or by twisting the ends as in Fig. 17', or by the introduction of selvage wires, as shown in Figs. 17 and 25. the ends are to be bent back, a tool 5 of the character best shown in Figs. 35, 36 and 37, is employed.. This tool has a pair of removvable jaws 5', secured to a central block or tool head, at the end of a spindle 18, the jaws being detachable to provide for renewal when worn, or to permit the use of 'aws of different size to accommodate wire of different gage.

The spindle 18 ismounted in bearings in the bracket 4,A and at its forward end is an annular groove 26, to receive a air of pins 25,(,carried by the forked end of) a lever 23. This` lever is pivoted on a pin 22, and its lowe'end is engaged by a cam 19 on the shaft 20, (Figs. 4 and 5).

The cam moves the spindle 18 forward and its rearward movement is accomplished by a helical compression spring 27, which surrounds the spindle. It 1s in many cases When desirable to partly rotate the tool, and for this purpose the spindle is provided with a fixed collar or enlargement 28, in which is cut a helical groove 29, that receives a stationary pin 30, so that as the spindle recip-A rocates it will also be turned on its axis, for

form of tool shown in Fig. 16 may be employed. c.

The shaft 32 is mounted in bearings in the bracket 3, and at theouter end of said shaft is a pinion 33, swhich meshes with a gear 34 on a short shaft 35. Secured to the gear 34 is a ratchet disk 36, which is engaged by a hooked pawl 37, pivoted on a pin 38, that is carried by a vertically reciprocatory slide 39, the tail of the pawl being weighted to insure idts 1ngagement with the teeth of the ratchet T he upper or lower ortions of the bar are provided with vertica ly elongated slots tov receive the shafts 35 and 20, which serve as guides to maintain the bar in place, and on tion.

the lower end of the bar is an anti-friction roller 40,- which is held against the lower side of a cam 41 on shaft 20, by means lof a compression spring 42. The number of teeth on lthe ratchet disk and the size of the ear and pinion, are so calculated that at eac movement the head 6 is turned slightly beyond the actual point of twist,- that is to say, a turning movement of 180 would accomplish the desired twisting operation, were it not for the elasticit of the wire of which the fabric is composer. To com ensate for this, the

'twisting head is turner` slightly `more than 180", so that the finished twist will be allowed to spring back slightly. Owing to this eX-. cess movement, it becomes necessary to turn the twister back, or center it, so that the..

o ening between the plates of l'the' twister s all be held horizontal, for the entrance of the next pair of ends to be united. For this purpose, the end of the shaft 32 is provided vwith a disk 43, having a pair of angularly related shoulders with which a pair of pawls 44 and 44 on slide 39 may engage.

When the ltwisting operation is complete, the bar 39 moves u `ward, and the pawl 44 engages one of the s oulders of the cam and moves the same, turning the shaft until the twister head is in approxlmately correct posi- The second pawl 44 then engages the second shoulder, and turns the disk 43, and twister head to the exact central position.

When a binder or selvage wire c is to be inserted to' form an edge, such as shown in Fig. 25, the binder is guided through the head 7 (Figs. 22 to 24) by a grooved disk 57 (Fig. 12). The head 7 is provided with beveled edges 54, tofacilitate the entrance of the wire ends', and has ribs 55 and transverse slots 56 to more firmly engage the Wires, so that when the head is slightly turned, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 23, the ends of the Wires will be moved across the plane of thebinder or selvage wire c, and then, by pushing the, head forward the ends of the wires may be bent over the binder, as shown in Fig. 25. The spindle 32 in this case is reciprocated by the mechanism best shown in Figs. 5`and 21, 80

and the partial rotative movementmay be accomplished by pivotingthe pawl or arm 37 directly to the large gear wheel 34',` by means -of'a pin 52, as shown in Fig. 20. A

binder c may be inserted in the twisted edge, I85

as shown in Fig. 17 by merely guiding such binder between the crossed ends of the wires in advance of the twister head.

Projecting from an arm at one side of the frame is a short stationary shaft 81 (Fig. 34), 90

on which is loosely mounted a continuously revolved sprocket wheel 80, and frictionally mountedon the hub of this wheel is a friction cone 82, that may be moved into engagement with a conical recess formed inra sleeve 83, that has a bayonet slot connection 89, with a take-u roller 84. This take-up roller is journa ed in anV arm -at the opposite side of the machine, and is o erated intermittently to take'up the finishe fabric.

Mounted on a stationary pin 72- carried by one of the standards is a lever 71, from one end of which rojects a rod 70, that enters the depending oop of fabric asit passes from the twisters to the take-up rollers. A. portion of the Weight of this rod 70 is counterf balanced by an adjustable weight 73 carried by the opposite arm of the lever, but the rod is free to follow down the loopof fabric.-

Mounted o n a pin 75 carried by the framev is a bell crank lever 74, the-approximately horizontal arm of which is provided with a fork embracing the lever 71. The a proximately vertical arm of the bell .cranl lever is connected to the lower arm of a clutch operating lever 76, -that is pivoted on a in 76 carried b the frame. The upper end) of the lever 7 6 as a pin 77 entering an annular groove in a collar 79, that is mounted loosely n the shaft 81, and is secured to the sprocket wheel 80.

The wheel 80 carries a pawl 87, which may be moved into engagement with a lug 88 vprojecting from theconical sleeve 83 for the purpose of transmitting ositive rotative movement to the take-,up s aft.' The tail of this pawl is under the control of a small leverf-'a 85 plvoted to the wheel 80, and having its inner end playing between two pins 86 on the cone 82.

When the loop of fabric accumulates, the rod 70 descends and moves the clutch lever 76, forcing the cone 82 into the conical sleeve 83. This retards the movement of the cone, the latter slip ing slightly on the hub of the sprocket Wheell, and one of the pins 86 of the cone is then engaged by the inner end of the small lever 85, throwing the outer end of the latter forward,.or in the same direction asthe sprocket Wheel is rotating. The lmmedlate effect of this is to throw the tail of pawl 87 outward, and its operating end then engages.

so that the operation of the ta"'eup roll,

ceases. v

Within the take-up roller is a channel bar 84, to which are pivoted fingers 90, that are arranged to project through slots in the =roller. These fingers are normally Iheld against the end walls of the slots by coiled springs 91, and the fingers project outward in a plane at a right angle to the axis of the roller, in position'to engage in the meshes of the fabric.

necessary to detach the roller it is merel y llar 83, and then Withdraw roller from the co the roller lengthwise, the fingers folding down through the slots to the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 27.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters- Patent, isz- 1. .In a machine of the class described, a frame, and a pair of relatively adjustable mechanisms carried thereby, each of such mechanisms including a table section, a fabric gripper, and a twister.

2. In a machinefof the class described, a

frame, and a pair of relatively adjustable mechanisms carried thereb each of such mechanisms including a fa ric feeding device, a table, a twister, and actuating means -for the feeding device and the twister..

3. In a machine of theclass described, a twister, a step-by-step feeding device for presenting the crossed wir'es successively to the twister, and automatic means for engaging and clamping the wires adjacent the twisting mechanism.

4. In a machine of the class described, a frame, a pair of twisters, twister carrying and operating means adjustable on the frame to vary the dlstance between them, and a sectional fabric-supporting table, one section of the table bein connected to and movable with each of t e twisters.

5. In apparatus of the class described, a

When the fabric is to be removed from the-v ssaeis twister head, a supportin table having an opening therein, a recesse clamp plate, and an inchning clamping member arranged to pass through the opening in the plate and enter therecess, said clamp serving to engage apd hold the wire fabric against the clamp p ate.

6. In 'apparatus of the class described, a twister head, a fabric-supporting table, a recessed clamp plate arranged above the table,

and a pair o vertically movable clamping members arranged to enter said recesses and clamp the fabric against said plate.

7. In apparatus of the class' described, a twister head, a fabric-supporting table, a recessed clamp plate above the table, a fabric clamp arranged to enter said recess, an arm extending from the clamp, and a secondary clamping member adjustably mounted on the arm to permit engagement with fabric of different mesh.

8. In a machine of the class described, a clamping means for diamond mesh fabric, comprising a pair of relatively adjustable members having inclined clamping faces arranged to engage against the untwisted portions at diagonally opposite points of mesh.

9. Ina machine of the class described, a

twister head, a fabric-supporting table, a reciprocatory rod, means for actuatingv the same, and a yieldably mounted fabric-engaging hook carried by the rod 'and arranged to successively engage the meshes of the fabric.

10. In a machine of the class described, a twister head, a fabric-supporting table, a reciprocatory rod, means for actuating the same, and a spring mounted hook carried by the rod and arranged to successively engage the fabric meshes, said hook being laterally and longitudinally adjustable with respect to the rod to permit engagement with fabric of different mesh.

11. In a machine of the class described, a tension means including a toothed disk arranged to engage the mesh of the fabric, and an adjustable friction means for retarding the rotative movement of said disk.

12. In a machine .of the class described, a

toothed disk arranged to engagein the mesh ofthe fabric, a shaft carrying the disk, an adjustable support for the shaft, and an adjustable friction disk for retarding the move. A ment of the fabric-engaging disk.

. .13. In a machine of the class described, a

revoluble twister', a shaft carrying the same, a shouldered disk arrangedjon the shaft, and

ap'air of successively operable centerin del,vices serving to engage the shoulders'o the disk and restore thetwister to initial position after each operation.

' 14. In a machine of the class described, a twister, a shaft carrying the same, a disk arranged on the shaft and provided with a pair of oppositely directedshoulders, and a air of successively operable pawls, arrange to twisters to initial position aftereach operation. v

15. In a machine of the class described, an automatic feeding means, a gripping device thereof, a twister head, a shaft carrying the` same, a pinion arranged on the shaft, a shouldered disk also carried by the shaft, a gear wheel engaging the pinion, a ratchet wheel mounted with the gear, a cam actuated slide, a pawl' carried by the slide and arranged to engage Athe ratchet wheel, and al pair of pawls also carried by the slide and arranged to successively operate on the shoul ders of the disk to restore the twisters to initial position after each operation.

16. In a machine of the class described', an intermittently operated take-up roll, an 0perating means therefor, a clutch between the operating means and the roller, and a clutch-,- actuating device including an arm arranged to engage `the fabric in advance of the roller, said arm raising and lowering to follow the fabric and -to-actuate the clutch.

17. In an aplaratus of the class described,

an intermittent y operable take-uproller, an operating meansv therefor, a clutching device between the operating means and the roller, and a clutch-operating arm arranged to hang in a loop on the fabric in 'advance of the roller, and.y operable by the fabric for con-- trolling the positionof the clutch.

18. In a machine of theclass described, a twister, and means for guiding a binder or selvage Wire between the ends ofthe fabric to be twisted.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

OTTO SCHMID.

Witnesses: p

HERMANN HOPPE, JEAN GULDEN. 

